Doing more with movement: constituting healthy publics in movement volunteering programmes.

Area of Science:

• Sociology of sport
• Public health
• Community engagement

Background:

• Emergence of 'fitness philanthropy' programs merging exercise and volunteering.
• These programs redefine traditional volunteering and physical activity through outdoor, community-based engagement.
• Exploration of 'GoodGym' as a case study for understanding these new practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the phenomenon of movement volunteering programmes and their connection to 'healthy publics'.
• To analyze how fitness philanthropy practices reshape exercise and volunteering.
• To understand the formation of healthy publics through these integrated activities.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic fieldwork including participant observation and interviews.
• Utilizing go-along interviews, conversations, and photography to capture experiences.
• Conducting an end-of-fieldwork discussion workshop for comprehensive data gathering.

Main Results:

• Healthy publics are formed through dynamic intersections of multiple processes.
• Visibility, spectacle, sociality, and merging mobilities are central to these practices.
• Experiences of volunteers, participants, and the environment contribute to public formation.

Conclusions:

• Movement volunteering programmes create unique 'healthy publics'.
• The integration of physical activity and social good fosters community well-being.
• Visibility and social interaction are key elements in the constitution of these publics.